Interlibrary loans
What can I request?
Books, theses or book chapters
If a book you need is not available at any of the libraries of the Library and Information Service, you may request this from another library in South Africa or abroad by way of interlibrary loans.
Africana, Short Loan, and Reference books are for in-libary use only and may be used for research purposes. Scanning or copying is permitted within the limits of copyright regulations.
SU Libraries do not request books that are in the SU collection(s). If Clients are unable to wait until the book becomes available, they are welcome to request it via interlibrary loans if they are prepared to cover any courier cost themselves.
Journal articles
SU clients in Stellenbosch requiring articles - not available in electronic format - from branch libraries situated in Stellenbosch, have to go to that particular branch library to obtain it.
SU clients requiring articles - not available in electronic format - located at a SU campus (Stellenbosch and Tygerberg) other than the one they are located at, may request the articles from their campus library.
What does it cost?
| National cost | This service is free of charge; however, please note that SU Libraries do not request books that are already available in our collection. If clients are unable to wait for the item to become available, they are welcome to request it from another library and cover any courier cost themselves. |
| International cost | Articles: R280.00 per article Book chapters: R280.00 per chapter Books: R500.00 per book |
| Payment options | SnapScan, EFT or interdepartmental transfer by means of a SUNFin journal. Bank details and other information will be provided by email as and when needed. |
Contact us
Information for other libraries
- Photocopies of journal articles, conference papers and chapters of books.
- Books may be requested by South African libraries (we do not lend books to international libraries).
- The SUNScholar URL of SU Master's and Doctoral theses will be supplied free of charge to requesting libraries, both national and international.
- We do not lend audio-visual material to requesting libraries.
- Article Exchange, a software tool, will be applied as the standard electronic means for delivery of articles.
- Mail delivery is acceptable in cases where the requesting or supplying library does not have the necessary facilities to receive or transmit articles electronically.
- Books will be posted by mail or can be collected by the requesting library.
- The loan period of a book is 8 weeks.
- No renewal is possible.
- Requesting libraries will be blacklisted if they do not respond to recall notices or invoices.
- The requesting library is responsible for the replacement of a lost or damaged book.
- Unless libraries have a reciprocal free of charge agreement, fees as determined by the National Library of South Africa (NLSA) will be charged for interlibrary loan documents.
- Photocopies exceeding the normal standard will be charged for, according to the NLSA price structure.
- National coupons are acceptable for payment by non-online libraries.
- The rate for journal articles or book chapters for international requesters is $20.00.
- IFLA vouchers and IFM are accepted.